Lid-fastener for shipping-crates, &amp;c.



Patented Dec; 3|, I90l.

J. C. GENTRY. LID FASTENER FOR SHIPPING CRATES, &.c.

(Application filed Aug. 23, 1900.)

(No Made l.)

T Nonms PETERS coy. woroumouwumuumu o c UNITED STATES PATENT CFFIQE.

JOSEPH C. GENTRY, OF AMERICUS, MISSOURI.

LlD -FASTENERFOR SHl PPlNG-CRATES, ate.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,266, datednecembei- 31, 1901-.

Application filed August 23, 1900. Serial No. 27,814. (No model.)

To all whom it may cancer-n:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH O. GENTRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Americlare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to fasteners for the lids of shipping-crates andthe like; and the objects and advantages will be made fully apparentfrom the following specification considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a top plan view of ashippingcrate with my lid-fastener applied and showing the top sectionor lid thereof removed. Fig.2 is a vertical-central section of ashipping-crate with my improved lid-fastener applied and complete readyfor use.

In order to conveniently refer to the several features of my inventionand their cooperating accessories, numerals will be employed, of which 1designates the crate.

2 is the lid or cover, having the downwardlyextending flanges 3 ofsufficient length to permit the flanges 3 to receive or telescope withthe body of the crate, and in order to hold the lid in place I providethe depending hooks 4, which consist of a suitable piece of spring metalproperly secured to the lid in any preferred Way and depending intoengagement with the toothed spring-bar 5, attached within the recess 6,provided in each of the end sections. The lower end of the spring-bar 5is properly corrugated or provided with the teeth or ratchets 7 and alsowith the operating-handle S, and since the recess 6 is of proper depthto freely receive the lower corrugated end of the spring-bar 5 and sincesaid bar is formed of suitable spring metal the said teeth orcorrugations may be forced inward by pressure upon the handle 8, andthus moved out of engagement with the hook 4 when it is desired torelease said hook. By providing the spring-bars 5 with a series of teeththe lid may be held in difierent positions as regards the crate, ascircumstances may require. By thus disposing the teeth or corrugationswithin the recess 6 they are protected against casual displacement orinjury, and sufficient room is also provided to enable said parts to bemoved inward out of engagement with the hooks, thereby permitting saidhooks to be formed of heavier or stronger portions of metal.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is a In a shipping-crate, a coverprovided with end flanges and depending hooks having inwardly-extendingfree ends, the crate having its ends provided with recesses upon theirouter faces and spring-bars secured at one end within said recesses withtheir lower ends free and provided with a series of teeth and theextreme end bent outwardly to form an operating-handle, said spring-barsnormally extended outwardly whereby their teeth areengaged by theinwardly-extended free ends JOSEPH O. GENTRY.

Witnesses:

J. R. DIcKEY, A. B. BAKER.

